Abstract
Background: The Rh antigen is highly immunogenic antigen, it has a relationship with Rh hemolytic disease of the newborn (Rh HDN).
The aim of this study was to detect the frequency of Rh negativity and Rh HDN in Saudi Arabia in the Makkah region.
Methods: This study included 500 subjects, 474 were Saudi, and 26 were non-Saudi. They were 192 men and 308 women. All were subjected to multiple questionnaires which include, age, sex, marital status, number of children if the participant was married, blood group, the Rh type of the participant and his or her partner if married. History of Rh HDN, history of anti-D injections to Rh negative mothers and history of exchange transfusion of the babies of Rh-negative mothers.
Results. The Rh-positive individuals were 427 (85.4%) and the Rh negative were 73(14.6%). The Rh negative were 21 male 52 female. 36 of the Rh-negative females were married of which 30 were married to Rh positive partner. 11 (37.9 %) of the babies of the Rh married negative women developed jaundice after delivery but only 2 (8%) need exchange transfusion.
Conclusion: The frequency of Rh negativity in the Makkah city are 14.6 %. 37.9 % of babies of Rh negative mothers developed Rh HDN.